From the Lynn Public Health Department: The Lynn Public Health Department distributes a monthly newsletter with health-related information for the City of Lynn. For more information and questions you can call the Public Health Department at 781-598-4000 extension 6712.

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February was NATIONAL CANCER PREVENTION MONTH

February is National Cancer Prevention Month – a time to reflect on the steps you can take to reduce your risk of cancer and put them into

action. According to the American Cancer Society, 40% of cancer cases in the United States are preventable and 44% of cancer deaths are

attributed to behaviors that you can change. Cancer is the second leading cause of death in the United States with the top 10 cancers being:

1. Breast
2. Prostate
3. Lung and bronchus
4. Colorectal
5. Melanoma of the skin
6. Bladder
7. Kidney (renal cell and pelvis)
8. Non-Hodgkin lymphoma
9. Endometrial
10. Pancreatic

Lung and bronchus, colorectal, pancreatic, and breast cancers are responsible for nearly 50% of all cancer deaths in 2025:

• Lung and bronchus: 124,730 (20%)
• Colon and rectum: 52,900 (9%)
• Pancreas: 51,980 (8%)
• Breast: 42,680 (7%)
• Other: 345,830 (56%)

Information source: National Cancer Institute

There are many changes you can make to help prevent cancer:

• Don’t smoke and try to avoid secondhand smoke when possible
  • Chemicals inside cigarettes are known carcinogens and is linked to 20% of all cancers
• Limit alcohol consumption
• Stay active and maintain a healthy, well-balanced diet
• Minimize sun exposure and protect your skin from the sun
  • Use sunscreen whenever you go outdoors, regardless of weather
• Schedule routine screenings to detect cancers early
  • Screenings can include: mammogram, colonoscopy, PAP test, HPV test
• Vaccinations can help prevent certain cancers
  • HPV vaccine can help prevent cervical cancer
  • Hepatitis B vaccine can help prevent liver cancer

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Social determinants of health (SDOH) are the conditions in the environments where people are born, live, learn, work, play, worship, and age that affect a wide range of health, functioning, and quality-of-life outcomes and risks.
– Health People 2030

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Save the dates

Diaper Drive
When: April 2026 (all month long)
Drop-off Location: Lynn Public Health, 3 City Hall Square, RM: 108
During City Hall Hours

We will be hosting a diaper drive throughout the month of April. We are accepting diapers of all sizes and wipes. If you donate during the week of April 13 – April 17 , you will be entered to win a raffle!

National Public Health Week
When: April 13, 2026 – April 17, 2026

The Lynn Public Health Division will be celebrating National Public Health Week, with events throughout the week.
Be on the lookout for our schedule!

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CAMERON FOLEY: ENERGY ADVOCATE FOR THE CITY OF LYNN

We sat down with Lynn’s new Energy Advocate, Cameron Foley who started last November, to get to know them and find out a little more about what they do.

What does an Energy Advocate do?

As an Energy Advocate, my job comes from what’s called the “Community First Partnership”. It’s a new initiative from the Mass Save sponsors to make sure that energy resources are distributed equitably by targeting cities that may not have utilized them in the past or where residents may not know that they are eligible for them, especially in lower income communities. As the Energy Advocate, my job is to come to Lynn and introduce and educate residents on Mass Save programming, help residents lower their energy bills, make sure that they’re not on any third-party suppliers, help them get on residential discount rates and help them make their homes as energy efficient as possible to lower their energy costs.

What sparked your interest in energy advocacy?

I went to Salem State for Political Science and Environmental Sustainability, and that’s where I got the Public Policy bug. That’s where my interest on how the government and the environment intercepts started. So, then I went to Northeastern for my Master’s in Public Policy with a concentration in Sustainability and Climate Change Policy. When I saw the “Community First Partnership” and this position come up in Lynn, it felt like it combined all of my interests together. It has the community portion of it, constituent services and outreach, and then also the environmental part of it, as well.

What are the biggest energy challenges Lynn residents face, or have you noticed any challenges since you’ve started in November, that Lynn residents face with energy?

I’m still pretty new, so those answers could change as I get more familiar, but so far, I think the biggest thing has been residents concerned about their energy bills. I know that there are a lot of predatory companies out there. They’ll be approached at different locations and offer them gift cards, and say, you know, I can make your energy bill lower than National Grid, which might be true for that first year, but once that contract ends, they automatically renew them, and there’s no laws that prevent them from doing this, but they will drastically increase their energy bills, sometimes triple the amount compared to what it would have been on National Grid’s basic rate. People don’t realize that it’s happening, especially if they use an automated payment system. Energy bills are confusing, so residents might not know where to look on their energy bill for these things. Lynn residents bills that could be much lower on the National Grid basic rate. I’ve also seen a lot of renters who think that they aren’t eligible for Mass Save Programs because they don’t own the home, and they don’t have authorization from their landlord to do big projects, but renters are eligible. We have what we call our Instant Energy Savings where you don’t need landlord permission for those things and you don’t need permission for the No-Cost Home Energy Assessment in 1-4 unit buildings. I think, getting the word out that renters, homeowners, small businesses, nonprofits, anyone who pays a National Grid bill is entitled to use Mass Save programs because they are already paying for them every month. You’ll see an energy efficiency surcharge on your National Grid bill that is going directly to Mass Save programs.

What is a current favorite song or musical artist?

I can’t stop listening to the new Olivia Dean album. She just won best new artist at the Grammys. She released an album called The Art of Loving, and that’s all I’ve been listening to since it came out. It’s really good. What’s your favorite song off the album? Man I Need, I think, is the one that I listen to a lot. And I also really love Something In Between.

What’s a form of self-care that you practice after a long day at work?

So, I’m a twin and my sister’s my best friend. I think self-care can kind of be a couple different things, so anything that we’re able to do together, even if it’s just eating dinner together, going out to see friends, I feel like it’s kind of self-care, because you have a constant best friend. You can decompress when you’re chatting, kind of be quiet with each other, or watch a movie. I feel calmer when I’m around her. Also, I’m trying to form better routines after work, because I feel like after the work day, you can feel really drained and tired, but I don’t want it to impact, either my social life, exercise or healthy living things. I’m trying to get better at being active after work, so I’ll go to the gym or I’ll go see my friends and not just sit home and be a potato, watch a movie and go to bed. I’m trying to keep active in some form, I think.

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You can download the full newsletter, in English or Spanish, below.